Wacky stats of the day:
- Pakistan become the third team to score exactly 556 all out in a Test and lose.
- This is the third time England have conceded 550+ in the Bazball era - and they’ve won all three games.
Woke up this morning to find that India had been rolled for 46 by New Zealand after winning the toss and electing to bat. The whole first day was washed out, so very hospitable of them to get everything back on track for a result in four days.
The way my Pakistani friends are reacting, I’m almost hoping India come back and win this one. Our own team is locked in a gripping struggle with England, but there’s been no mention of that in the two Pakistani WhatsApp groups I’m in.
… and that’s the best shadenfreude that a long suffering Pakistani supporter can come up with?
I’ll say. Lead of 289, 58 of which have come from a 9th wicket partnership after it looked like England were mopping up the tail. Teh sort of thing that can get very frustrating for the side batting last, especially when you know the pitch is steadily deteriorating.
Hey! I’m a genuine New Zealand supporter. I admire their plucky punch-above-our-weight-ness.
If India are playing Australia, South Africa, Afghanistan or India, I will be pulling for India.
Looks like we might have a case of a team losing after posting 500+ first up and then a team winning after getting rolled for under 50 in the same calendar month.
Incidentally the BBC Sport homepage has TWO articles stealth-whining about the Multan pitch.
And I’ve successfully put the mockers on. India have lost three wickets in five overs and the Kiwis are firmly back on top.
I don’t think it’s stealth-whinging, I think it’s reasonable discussion about an unusual situation. England didn’t really lose because of the pitch, they lost because they can’t catch.
And in the India NZ game, there’s still time for an Ashes 81 style comeback from India again!
Absorbing third test between England and Pakistan. Pakistan will need to bat last so they needed a good first inning lead to give themselves a chance. Did not look likely a couple of hours ago, but the lower order has turned up nicely.
77 run lead. England will either blast through it in an hour only losing a wicket, or be five down when they limp over. There is no in between.
They have chosen option #2 it seems.
5 may well be optimistic
It does start to seem like Pakistan have discovered this One Weird Trick* to defeating England.
*Bowl spin.
England, and in particular their captain Liam Livingstone, just too the game by the scruff of the neck today.
Needing 100 to win off 10, they made it with 2.5 overs to spare.
Less said about West Indies bowling under pressure, the better.
I never thought I’d see the day when New Zealand went to India and dished out a 3-0 drubbing.
Don’t be too harsh, not many Kiwis fanaticized that event either , particularly with their talisman Williamson not on tour.
A simply stupendous effort, up there with the labors of Hercules.
Nobody has ever beaten India 3-0 at home in a 3 match series (WI beat them 3-0 with 2 draws in 1958)
Hell of a result for the Kiwis
And off the back of this, India are now absolutely spanking the Aussies in their own back yard. I haven’t been following closely, but it’s hard to fathom how there can be such a difference in batting performance between the two teams.
From the BBC report:
With two days left to play there is, in theory at least, still time for Australia to either bat out for a draw or chase down a record total to win the match.
The parenthetical “in theory at least” was added later. Six hours ago it wasn’t there. Leading to some mockery in the comments section.
Which was but a pale imitation of the mockery being posted in Australian cricketing forums.
Not to mention what the Kiwis are crowing about!